ABSTRACT

This chapter represents a brief overview of the human rights situation of Indigenous peoples in Africa, with particular reference to the Maasai people of Kenya. It begins with the definition of who the Indigenous peoples are. In a literal sense, the term 'Indigenous peoples' refers to the original inhabitants of a given territory. In Africa the literal meaning of 'Indigenous Peoples' has not been useful in the identification of poor vulnerable communities since most Africans are indigenous to Africa in the sense of having their origins in the continent. The 1993—94 International Working Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) Yearbook recognized as Indigenous in Africa the nomads of East Africa and the hunter-gatherer communities of southern Africa and Botswana. While national and official languages exist throughout Africa, few Indigenous peoples speak them. Finally, there are conflicts that relate to differing views on development between Indigenous peoples and the nation-states of which they are a part.